In large passenger vehicles, in particular aircraft for long haul flights, passenger capacities tend to be ever increasing, while at the same time the efficiency of the available space inside the cabin is more and more improved. For example, cabin monuments, such as galleys and lavatories, are increasingly space efficient and allow the integration of an optimized amount of passenger seats. Besides storing food and other items it is mandatory to provide sufficient space for collecting waste.
Waste may arise from meal packages and other used items from the passengers. Simply collecting waste would lead to a plurality of bulky plastic bags, which need to be stored safely. To improve the waste collection and storage, it is known to use waste compaction systems, which may compact bulky plastic bags containing meal packages, etc. into compact and easily storable waste packages.
The most common approach for waste compaction systems in civil aircraft is based on electromechanical waste compactors, which are rather powerful but comprise a high weight due to the mechanical components such as motor, gears, supports and bearings. Further, a large part of the available space in a half size or full size trolley may be allocated for the compaction mechanism, such that only a reduced amount of waste is collectable with this trolley. Further, due to the weight of the compaction mechanism, the waste compactor is usually a fixed part of the galley and cannot be moved through the cabin. The available space for waste collection and storage is low and the reliability of electromechanical waste compactors may be insufficient.
It is further known to use vacuum-based waste compactors, which comprise vacuum pumps in the waste compactor trolley unit that comprise a sleeve or hull surrounding a waste bag, which sleeve or hull is evacuated and thereby presses the waste bag to a compact package.